Intelligent garbage can and control method thereof

Abstract

The application provides a smart garbage can and a control method thereof. The smart garbage can comprises: a first detector arranged on a can body and used for detecting gesture changes in a first area and configured to be capable of adjusting the orientation of the detection area through a second driving device; a second detector arranged on a can cover and used for detecting obstacles in a second area; a third driving device arranged on the can cover and used for switching the opening and closing state of the can cover; and a microprocessor arranged on the can cover and used for issuing control instructions to the second driving device according to the detection result of the second detector to adjust the detection orientation of the first detector, and issuing control instructions to the first driving device and the third driving device according to the gesture detected by the first detector and the detection result of the second detector to control the opening and closing state and opening amplitude of the can cover and the rotation angle of the can cover relative to the can body or the rotation angle of the can body relative to the ground. The application can improve the practicability and recognition accuracy of the smart garbage can.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of smart furniture technology, specifically relating to smart trash cans and their control methods. Background Technology

[0002] In their research and practice with existing technologies, the inventors of this application discovered that some existing smart trash cans can only recognize the obstruction effect caused by a hand passing by, and only realize the action of opening and closing the lid. Others control the trash cans by the duration or shape of the hand obstruction. However, prolonged hovering reduces the user experience, while short-term hovering is prone to misjudgment. Therefore, hovering recognition methods lead to a decline in the practicality and market reputation of smart trash cans. Smart trash cans that analyze hand shape have the deficiency of needing high-precision sensing units. At the same time, when the user is holding trash in both hands, the hand shape recognition function is basically useless, resulting in a significant decrease in the practicality of the trash can.

[0003] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an intelligent trash can and its control method that can overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above, this application provides an intelligent trash can and its control method, wherein the method can overcome the defects of the prior art and improve the practicality and recognition accuracy of the intelligent trash can.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a smart trash can, including a body and a lid hinged to the body, wherein the body is configured to rotate relative to the ground via a first driving device, or the lid is configured to rotate relative to the body via the first driving device; the smart trash can further includes:

[0006] A first detector is installed on the barrel to detect changes in gestures within a first area; wherein the first detector is configured to adjust the orientation of the detection area via a second drive device.

[0007] A second detector is installed on the bucket lid to detect obstacles in the second area;

[0008] A microprocessor is disposed on the bucket lid, and a third drive device is used to switch the bucket lid open / closed state; wherein the first detector, the second detector, the first drive device, the second drive device, and the third drive device are electrically connected to the microprocessor respectively;

[0009] The microprocessor is used to send control commands to the second driving device based on the detection results of the second detector, and adjust the detection orientation of the first detector.

[0010] The microprocessor is also used to send control commands to the first driving device and the third driving device based on the gesture detected by the first detector and the detection result of the second detector, to control the opening and closing state and opening range of the bucket lid, as well as the rotation angle of the bucket lid relative to the bucket body or the rotation angle of the bucket body relative to the ground.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the first detector includes one or more of a laser sensor, lidar, infrared sensor, microwave sensor, image recognition sensor, and TOF camera; the second detector includes one or more of a laser sensor, lidar, infrared sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and camera.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first detector is a laser sensor, comprising: a laser emitter having a conical light emission region and a laser receiver for receiving reflected light; the microprocessor is configured to determine the hand gesture change in the first region by using the light distribution pattern formed by the detection signal detected by the laser sensor, thereby controlling the opening and closing state and / or opening range of the lid, as well as the rotation angle of the lid relative to the bucket body or the rotation angle of the bucket body relative to the ground.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the first detector is an image recognition sensor; the microprocessor is used to identify the source of the gesture based on the outline, color, and / or temperature of the gesture detected by the image recognition sensor, and to determine the content of the gesture based on the image trajectory.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the second detector is a laser sensor used to detect obstacles in the second area; the microprocessor is used to control the rotation angle of the lid relative to the bucket body or the rotation angle of the bucket body relative to the ground, as well as the opening degree in the second area, based on the obstacles detected by the laser, so that the lid can be in an optimal open state.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the smart trash can further includes: a prompter disposed on the can body for indicating the state change; wherein the prompter includes one or more of a timer, a breathing light, and a buzzer.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the microprocessor is also configured to control the duration of the lid's opening and / or the operating state of the indicator based on gesture changes detected by the first detector within a first area.

[0017] Secondly, this application provides a control method for an intelligent trash can, the method being applied to the aforementioned intelligent trash can, the method comprising at least the following steps:

[0018] The first detector detects changes in hand gestures within a first area, and the second detector detects obstacles within a second area. The opening and closing state of the bucket lid, the opening range, and / or the rotation angle of the bucket lid relative to the bucket body or the rotation angle of the bucket body relative to the ground are controlled.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the detection of gesture changes within a first region via a first detector includes:

[0020] The hand gesture changes in the first area are determined by the light distribution pattern formed by the detection signal detected by the first detector;

[0021] Alternatively, the source of the gesture can be identified by the outline, color, and / or temperature of the gesture detected by the first detector, and the content of the gesture can be determined based on the image trajectory.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the method further includes:

[0023] The duration of the bucket lid's opening and / or the operating status of the indicator are controlled by the gesture changes detected in the first area by the first detector.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following advantages:

[0025] The smart trash can provided in this application uses a first detector to detect changes in hand gestures in a first area and a second detector to detect obstacles in a second area, controlling the opening and closing state and opening range of the lid, and / or the rotation angle of the lid relative to the body or the rotation angle of the body relative to the ground. It can judge complex hand gestures to realize different trash can control functions and flexibly adapt to different applicable scenarios, thereby improving the practicality and recognition accuracy of the smart trash can.

[0026] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an intelligent trash can provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an intelligent trash can provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a usage scenario of the smart trash can provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a usage scenario of the smart trash can provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a usage scenario of the smart trash can provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for an intelligent trash can according to an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for an intelligent trash can according to an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method for an intelligent trash can provided in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] In the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" is for descriptive purposes only, to distinguish different objects, and not to describe a specific order, nor should it be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0038] The terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, used in this document are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps, units, or modules is not limited to the steps, units, or modules listed, but may optionally include steps, units, or modules not listed, or may optionally include other steps, units, or modules inherent to such process, method, product, or device.

[0039] The use of "and / or" or "and / or" in the text implies three parallel options. For example, "A and / or B" could mean option A, option B, or a combination of both A and B.

[0040] The term "embodiment" in this document means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0041] Currently, smart trash cans with gesture recognition use specific sensors to capture and interpret user movements. For example, some designs use an STM32 microcontroller and a gesture recognition module, communicating via an I2C interface. The user's gestures can be recognized and converted into corresponding electronic signals to control the opening and closing of the trash can. In addition, some designs incorporate ultrasonic sensors, identifying changes in ultrasonic reflection signals to determine the user's gestures and achieve the movement and positioning of the trash can. For instance, the sensing unit in a gesture recognition trash can includes a laser emitter and a light receiver. The light emitted by the laser emitter is blocked by the user's hand, and the reflected light is received by the light receiver. The control system analyzes the current hand position, hand shape (fist, palm), and hand hovering time based on the signal received by the light receiver, and then compares it with preset gestures in a gesture library.

[0042] Based on this, the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] like Figure 1-5 As shown.

[0044] A smart trash can includes a body 7 and a lid 8 hinged to the body 7. The body 7 is configured to rotate relative to the ground via a first drive device 4, or the lid 8 is configured to rotate relative to the body 7 via the first drive device 4. The smart trash can further includes: a first detector 1 disposed on the body 7 for detecting gesture changes within a first area; wherein the first detector 1 is configured to adjust the orientation of the detection area via a second drive device 5; a second detector 2 disposed on the lid 8 for detecting obstacles within a second area; a microprocessor 3 disposed on the lid 8; and a third drive device 6 for switching the open / closed state of the lid 8. The first detector 1, the second detector 2, the first driving device 4, the second driving device 5, and the third driving device 6 are electrically connected to the microprocessor 3. The microprocessor 3 is used to send control commands to the second driving device 5 based on the detection results of the second detector 2 to adjust the detection orientation of the first detector 1. The microprocessor 3 is also used to send control commands to the first driving device 4 and the third driving device 6 based on the gestures detected by the first detector 1 and the detection results of the second detector 2 to control the opening and closing state and opening range of the bucket lid 8, as well as the rotation angle of the bucket lid 8 relative to the bucket body 7 or the rotation angle of the bucket body 7 relative to the ground.

[0045] In this embodiment, the first detector 1 detects changes in gestures in the first area and the second detector 2 detects obstacles in the second area, thereby controlling the opening and closing state and opening range of the lid 8, and / or the rotation angle of the lid 8 relative to the body 7 or the rotation angle of the body 7 relative to the ground. This enables the judgment of complex gestures to achieve different trash can control functions and flexible adaptation to different applicable scenarios, thereby improving the practicality and recognition accuracy of the smart trash can.

[0046] In one possible implementation, the first detector 1 includes one or more of a laser sensor, lidar, infrared sensor, microwave sensor, image recognition sensor, and TOF camera; the second detector 2 includes one or more of a laser sensor, lidar, infrared sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and camera.

[0047] Taking the first detector 1 as a laser sensor as an example, the laser sensor includes: a laser emitter with a conical light emission area and a laser receiver for receiving reflected light; the microprocessor 3 is used to determine the hand gesture changes in the first area by the light distribution pattern formed by the detection signal detected by the laser sensor, and then control the opening and closing state and / or opening range of the bucket lid 8, as well as the rotation angle of the bucket lid 8 relative to the bucket body 7 or the rotation angle of the bucket body 7 relative to the ground.

[0048] It is understood that in this embodiment, the opening and closing of the bucket lid 8 can be controlled by gesture changes, and gestures can also control the rotation angle of the bucket lid 8 relative to the bucket body 7 or the rotation angle of the bucket body 7 relative to the ground.

[0049] In this embodiment, a laser emitter with a cone-shaped light emission area is used in conjunction with a laser receiver to receive reflected light. The microprocessor 3 receives the light reflected from the user's hand, and determines the user's gesture based on the light distribution pattern, rather than simply judging based on the presence of obstruction. The area formed by the laser emitter is 60*60cm, and its size can be adjusted according to actual needs. The user's hand moves within this area clockwise, counterclockwise, upward, and downward, respectively controlling the smart trash can lid 8 to perform different actions, eliminating the need for prolonged hovering and ensuring ease of operation.

[0050] The laser emitter and laser receiver are integrated into the second drive device 5, which is a rotating structure. When the trash can is positioned under the table, the user needs to bend over and reach under the table, which is inconvenient. In this case, the rotating structure drives the laser emitter and laser receiver to rotate to an angle set on the ground, allowing the user to use their feet as sensors to control the trash can's actions.

[0051] Specifically, the rotating structure is located at the edge of the trash can's opening, with the laser emitter and receiver mounted on it. The outputs of the laser emitter and receiver are located on the side wall of the rotating unit. When the trash can is on a normal surface, the rotating structure rotates the laser emitter and receiver, aligning their outputs vertically upwards, allowing users to control the trash can by making gestures from above. When the trash can is near the base of a table, the rotating structure rotates the laser emitter and receiver, aligning their outputs horizontally. With the trash can under the table, it's difficult for users to reach above it for gestures; therefore, the upward-tilting rotation optimizes the recognition space and improves convenience. Meanwhile, the laser emitter's light distribution area is arranged in a fan shape, so the light distribution area can cover the user's feet. The user, who is in a seated position, can use his knee instead of his hand as the main body of the gesture to control the trash can. In particular, if it is necessary to reproduce clockwise and counterclockwise movements, the user can use the heel of his foot to make movements, thereby realizing complex gestures to control the trash can.

[0052] The PCBA module housing the laser emitter and receiver is normally in a low-power mode. When the laser receiver detects a reflected signal, the PCBA generates a positive stimulus signal to the third drive device 6 of the trash can, which is a lid-opening motor. During the timing process, the PCBA returns to the low-power mode. After the timing is complete, the PCBA generates a negative stimulus signal to the lid-opening motor of the trash can. If the user repeatedly blocks the receiver during the timing process, the PCBA will not generate a stimulus signal and will remain in the low-power mode, thus effectively achieving energy saving.

[0053] In one possible implementation, the first detector 1 is an image recognition sensor; the microprocessor 3 is used to identify the source of the gesture based on the outline, color and / or temperature of the gesture detected by the image recognition sensor, and to determine the content of the gesture based on the image trajectory.

[0054] In this embodiment, a CCD image recognition sensor is used instead of a laser sensor. The microprocessor 3 is configured with a design mode. The display interface is integrated on the user's mobile terminal. In the initial mode, the user combines the display interface of the mobile terminal and the gesture graphics acquired by the CCD image recognition sensor to design and input the gesture. The user determines the control commands corresponding to different gestures. For gestures with trajectories, such as clockwise or counterclockwise, the image recognition and tracking function is used. That is, after analyzing the contour, color or temperature, the source of the gesture is confirmed, and then the content of the gesture is determined according to the image trajectory.

[0055] In one possible implementation, the second detector 2 is a laser sensor used to detect obstacles in the second area; the microprocessor 3 is used to control the rotation angle of the lid 8 relative to the bucket body 7 or the rotation angle of the bucket body 7 relative to the ground, as well as the opening range in the second area, based on the obstacles detected by the laser, so that the lid 8 can be in an optimal flip-top state.

[0056] Understandably, in some complex or special environments, due to their location or the presence of obstacles, the lid 8 of the trash can may not be fully opened in a certain position, or the opening range may not be convenient for users to dispose of trash. In such cases, a certain obstacle avoidance function is required. Therefore, by controlling the rotation angle of the lid 8 relative to the can body 7 or the rotation angle of the can body 7 relative to the ground, as well as the opening range in the second area, based on the obstacle situation detected by the laser, the lid 8 can be in the optimal flip-top state, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems.

[0057] In one possible implementation, the smart trash can further includes: a prompter disposed on the bin body 7 for indicating the state change; wherein the prompter includes one or more of a timer, a breathing light, and a buzzer.

[0058] In one possible implementation, the microprocessor 3 is also configured to control the opening duration of the bucket lid 8 and / or the operating state of the indicator based on gesture changes detected by the first detector 1 within the first area.

[0059] In this embodiment, taking the timing unit as an example, the timing unit includes multiple sets of spaced light sources. A laser emitter emits light towards the top of the trash can opening. The light is reflected after being blocked by the user's hand and then reaches the laser receiver. The microprocessor 3 uses the light received by the laser receiver to draw a hand-blocking pattern, compares the pattern with the pattern in the microprocessor 3, and then determines the meaning of the user's gesture, and performs the corresponding operation.

[0060] 1. Briefly sweep across the laser emitter: The trash can lid 8 opens and remains open for 5 seconds. The specific duration can be adjusted according to the actual situation. At the same time, all light sources are activated and then extinguished one by one in a linear direction. When all light sources are extinguished, the trash can lid 8 closes.

[0061] 2. Slide the laser emitter clockwise: Trash can lid 8 is normally open;

[0062] 3. Slide the laser emitter counterclockwise: the trash can lid 8 will close immediately.

[0063] like Figure 6 As shown, based on the same inventive concept, this application provides a control method for an intelligent trash can, which is applied to the aforementioned intelligent trash can. The method includes at least the following steps:

[0064] S100: The first detector detects changes in hand gestures in the first area, and the second detector detects obstacles in the second area. The opening and closing state of the bucket lid, the opening range, and / or the rotation angle of the bucket lid relative to the bucket body or the rotation angle of the bucket body relative to the ground are controlled.

[0065] like Figure 7 As shown, in one possible implementation, detecting gesture changes within a first region using a first detector includes:

[0066] S101. Determine the gesture change in the first area by the light distribution pattern formed by the detection signal detected by the first detector; or, confirm the gesture action source by the outline, color and / or temperature of the gesture detected by the first detector, and determine the gesture content based on the image trajectory.

[0067] like Figure 8 As shown, in one possible implementation, the method further includes:

[0068] S102. Control the opening duration of the bucket lid and / or the working status of the prompter by detecting the gesture changes in the first area detected by the first detector.

[0069] It should be noted that in some embodiments, the methods provided in this application can be executed by the functions or modules included in the apparatus provided in the above embodiments. The specific implementation can be referred to the description of the apparatus embodiments above, and for the sake of brevity, it will not be repeated here.

[0070] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0071] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted through the computer-readable storage medium. The computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., digital versatile discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks (SSDs)).

[0072] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. This program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes described in the above method embodiments. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

Claims

1. A smart trash can, comprising a can body and a can lid hinged to the can body, characterized in that, The bucket body is configured to rotate relative to the ground via a first drive device, or the bucket lid is configured to rotate relative to the bucket body via a first drive device. The smart trash can also include: A first detector is installed on the barrel to detect changes in gestures within a first area; wherein the first detector is configured to adjust the orientation of the detection area via a second drive device. A second detector is installed on the bucket lid to detect obstacles in the second area; A microprocessor is disposed on the bucket lid, and a third drive device is used to switch the bucket lid open / closed state; wherein the first detector, the second detector, the first drive device, the second drive device, and the third drive device are electrically connected to the microprocessor respectively; The microprocessor is used to send control commands to the second driving device based on the detection results of the second detector, and adjust the detection orientation of the first detector. The microprocessor is also used to send control commands to the first driving device and the third driving device through the gesture detected by the first detector and the detection result of the second detector, to control the opening and closing state and opening range of the bucket lid, as well as the rotation angle of the bucket lid relative to the bucket body or the rotation angle of the bucket body relative to the ground. The second detector is a laser sensor used to detect obstacles in the second area; the microprocessor is used to control the rotation angle of the lid relative to the bucket body or the rotation angle of the bucket body relative to the ground, as well as the opening range in the second area, based on the obstacles detected by the laser sensor, so that the lid can be in the optimal flip-top state.

2. The intelligent trash can according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first detector includes one or more of the following: laser sensor, lidar, infrared sensor, microwave sensor, image recognition sensor, and TOF camera; the second detector includes one or more of the following: laser sensor, lidar, infrared sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and camera.

3. The intelligent trash can according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first detector is a laser sensor, comprising: a laser emitter having a conical light emission area and a laser receiver for receiving reflected light; the microprocessor is used to determine the hand gesture change in the first area by the light distribution pattern formed by the detection signal detected by the laser sensor, and then control the opening and closing state and / or opening range of the bucket lid, as well as the rotation angle of the bucket lid relative to the bucket body or the rotation angle of the bucket body relative to the ground.

4. The intelligent trash can according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first detector is an image recognition sensor; the microprocessor is used to identify the source of the gesture based on the outline, color and / or temperature of the gesture detected by the image recognition sensor, and to determine the content of the gesture based on the image trajectory.

5. The intelligent trash can according to claim 1, characterized in that, The smart trash can also include: a prompter disposed on the body of the can for indicating the change of the opening and closing state of the can lid; wherein the prompter includes one or more of a timer, a breathing light, and a buzzer.

6. The intelligent trash can according to claim 5, characterized in that, The microprocessor is also used to control the opening duration of the bucket lid and / or the working state of the prompter based on the gesture changes detected by the first detector in the first area.

7. A control method for an intelligent trash can, said method being applied to the intelligent trash can according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The method includes at least the following steps: The first detector detects changes in hand gestures within a first area, and the second detector detects obstacles within a second area. This controls the opening and closing state of the bucket lid, the opening range, and / or the rotation angle of the bucket lid relative to the bucket body or the rotation angle of the bucket body relative to the ground.

8. The control method for the intelligent trash can according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of detecting gesture changes within a first region using a first detector includes: The hand gesture changes within the first area are determined by the light distribution pattern formed by the detection signal detected by the first detector; Alternatively, the source of the gesture can be identified by the outline, color, and / or temperature of the gesture detected by the first detector, and the content of the gesture can be determined based on the image trajectory.

9. The control method for the intelligent trash can according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: The duration of the bucket lid's opening is controlled by the hand gesture changes detected by the first detector within the first area, and / or the working state of the indicator, which is set on the bucket body to indicate the change in the opening and closing state of the bucket lid.

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